These teachings relate generally to MEMS optical switches.
Optical switches are devices that route optical signals along selected fibers of an optical network. Such switches constitute the fundamental building blocks of modern optical networks. Prior art optical switches are primarily based on mechanisms that perform mechanical movements, change waveguide coupling ratios, and perform polarization rotations. Mechanical relay based optical switches has large size. Considerable interest has been shown in MEMS technology for its small size. Among them, MEMS electrostatic rotating mirror based devices are one of most common approaches. However, their need for a high electrical field to generate sufficient actuation force results in the requirement of costly hermetic packaging. Furthermore, they are non-latched and switch states are lost when external electric power is lost. A bistable mechanism using electro-thermal actuation is also used for optical switches. However, those devices use an in-plane actuation for a vertical etched mirror, leading to costly fabrication and small depth mirror size.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved MEMS switch design that is small in size, ultra-stable, latching, low cost and easy to manufacture, scalable to multiple output ports.